wclarke63

An Excerpt and some fan letters for People of the Tiger. See why so many people love this book!

See why so many people love this book!

My new website! Books, blogs, previews, fan letters, and more!

I grew up poor with three brothers and a sister. I was one of the last white kids in Canada to grow up without indoor plumbing; having to bundle up in snow storms to go 20 yards to the outhouse, not being able to draw water from the cistern with a bucket and chain in the winter because everything was frozen. When we became trailer trash it was a big step up. Ducted heating and everything! We moved constantly, and fought constantly, and had 5 step-fathers.
Then we settled in Calgary, and one day when my youngest brother was in his late teens, my sister said to me; 'I love you.' I realized that we never said it to each other. It was an incredibly powerful moment. Everything changed that day for me. (Almost every kid says they love their parents regularly, but how many of them rarely, or never, say it to their siblings?)
Now we haven't had a harsh word in ten years, and we've all found some stability somewhere around lower-middle class. But it's still hard to see those who have everything and take it for granted.

Most of those who could afford to work less, and enjoy their lives and their families more, don't choose to do so. Most just keep clawing for every bit of money and status that they can get, trying to outpace their peers, while their families and their health suffer the problems of those with too much resources and stress, and not enough family time or healthy activity or meaningful challenge. You really can have too much of almost anything, including property and possessions.
I say, give up on selfishness. Live a balanced life, and if you have more than you need, give some to those who need it most. If you can afford it, consider retiring early. Pass on what you've learned, then give up your job to someone who still needs it. Or keep working and use your excess income to improve things, anything, just try to increase happiness and security and reduce suffering.

Wayne Edward Clarke